Faculty perceptions of a tobacco cessation train-the-trainer workshop and experiences with implementation: A qualitative follow-up study

BackgroundBetween 2003 and 2005, pharmacy faculty members (n = 191) participated in a national train-the-trainer workshop designed to equip faculty with the necessary knowledge and skills to implement a shared curriculum, Rx for Change: Clinician-Assisted Tobacco Cessation, at pharmacy schools across the United States.ObjectiveTo conduct a long-term, qualitative follow-up study of faculty participants to describe (a) perceptions of the train-the-trainer workshop, and (b) subsequent experiences with curricular implementation. Results of this investigation will inform a national survey of all train-the-trainer participants.MethodsParticipants were selected via random sampling from the group of 191 faculty members who participated in the workshop. Semi-structured telephone interviews with participants were audio-recorded and transcribed, and qualitative thematic analysis was conducted.ResultsEighteen (62%) of 29 invited individuals participated in the interviews. All participants reported implementing components of Rx for Change at their institution. The analysis yielded eight major themes pertaining to faculty perceptions and experiences with implementation: (1) accessibility to tools for teaching, (2) increased confidence and skills, (3) flexibility delivering the curriculum, (4) factors facilitating implementation and challenges encountered by faculty, (5) enhancement in treating tobacco users in clinical practice, (6) students' confidence and cognizance of the pharmacists' role as a public health advocate, (7) networking and career development opportunities, and (8) useful background for research.ConclusionParticipation in the train-the-trainer workshop increased self-reported confidence for teaching tobacco cessation, and faculty valued access to useful, updated tools for teaching. Furthermore, their newly acquired counseling skills were deemed helpful for treating patients' tobacco use and dependence in clinical practice. Participants also perceived improved pharmacy students' confidence and beneficial networking opportunities. Results can help future trainers understand faculty experiences with implementing a shared, national curriculum and inform faculty participants of some of the potential long-term outcomes as a result of participation.     

Evaluation of a Train-the-Trainer Program for Tobacco Cessation

Objectives

To assess pharmacy faculty members'' perceptions of the Rx for Change tobacco cessation program materials and train-the-trainer program.

Methods

Pharmacy faculty members attended a 14.5 hour train-the-trainer program conducted over 3 days. Posttraining survey instruments assessed participants'' (n = 188) characteristics and factors hypothesized to be associated with program adoption.

Results

Prior to the training, 49.5% of the faculty members had received no formal training for treating tobacco use and dependence, and 46.3% had never taught students how to treat tobacco use and dependence. Participants'' self-rated abilities to teach tobacco cessation increased posttraining (p < 0.001). The curriculum materials were viewed as either moderately (43.9%) or highly (54.0%) compatible for integration into existing curricula, and 68.3% reported they were “highly likely” to implement the program in the upcoming year.

Conclusions

Participation in a national train-the-trainer program significantly increased faculty members'' perceived ability to teach tobacco-related content to pharmacy students, and the majority of participants indicated a high likelihood of adopting the Rx for Change program at their school. The train-the-trainer model appears to be a viable and promising strategy for promoting adoption of curricular innovations on a national scale.     

A Train-the-Trainer Approach to a Shared Pharmacogenomics Curriculum for US Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

Objective. To assess pharmacy faculty trainers’ perceptions of a Web-based train-the-trainer program for PharmGenEd, a shared pharmacogenomics curriculum for health professional students and licensed clinicians.Methods. Pharmacy faculty trainers (n=58, representing 39 colleges and schools of pharmacy in the United States and 1 school from Canada) participated in a train-the-trainer program consisting of up to 9 pharmacogenomics topics. Posttraining survey instruments assessed faculty trainers’ perceptions toward the training program and the likelihood of their adopting the educational materials as part of their institution’s curriculum.Results. Fifty-five percent of faculty trainers reported no prior formal training in pharmacogenomics. There was a significant increase (p<0.001) in self-reported ability to teach pharmacogenomics to pharmacy students after participants viewed the webinar and obtained educational materials. Nearly two-thirds (64%) indicated at least a “good” likelihood of adopting PharmGenEd materials at their institution during the upcoming academic year. More than two-thirds of respondents indicated interest in using PharmGenEd materials to train licensed health professionals, and 95% indicated that they would recommend the program to other pharmacy faculty members.Conclusion. As a result of participating in the train-the-trainer program in pharmacogenomics, faculty member participants gained confidence in teaching pharmacogenomics to their students, and the majority of participants indicated a high likelihood of adopting the program at their institution. A Web-based train-the-trainer model appears to be a feasible strategy for training pharmacy faculty in pharmacogenomics.     

Evaluation of a Train-the-Trainer Program for Cultural Competence

Objectives

To develop, implement, and evaluate the impact of a cultural competence train-the-trainer workshop for pharmacy educators.

Methods

A 2-day train-the-trainer workshop entitled Incorporating Cultural Competency in Pharmacy Education (1.65 CEUs) was provided to pharmacy faculty from schools across the United States. Baseline, posttraining, and 9-month follow-up surveys assessed participants'' (n = 50) characteristics and self-efficacy in developing and teaching content.

Results

At baseline, 94% of faculty members reported no formal training in teaching cultural competence. After completing the workshop, participants'' self-rated confidence for developing and teaching workshop content significantly increased. The number of participants who rated their ability to teach cultural competence as “very good” or “excellent” increased from 13% to 60% posttraining. Participants reported teaching 1 or more aspects of the workshop curriculum to nearly 3,000 students in the 9-months following training.

Conclusions

The workshop significantly increased faculty members'' perceived and documented ability to teach cultural competence. The train-the-trainer model appears to be a viable and promising strategy for meeting the American Council for Pharmacy Education accreditation standards relating to the teaching of diversity, cultural issues, and health literacy.     

Community pharmacy technicians’ engagement in the delivery of brief tobacco cessation interventions: Results of a randomized trial

BackgroundIn recent years, the role of community pharmacy technicians has expanded to include involvement in the provision of brief tobacco cessation interventions. While technicians appear to be a key component in this service, their level of engagement and associated perceptions of this new role have not been described.ObjectiveTo compare pharmacy technicians’ frequency of involvement in brief tobacco cessation interventions delivered in a community pharmacy setting, as a function of training approach, and to characterize their perceptions of this expanded role, including barriers to implementation.MethodsTwenty California-based grocery store chain pharmacies were randomized to receive (a) written training materials-only [minimal] or (b) written training materials plus live training with coaching and active monitoring by pharmacy management [intensive]. After written materials were distributed to the sites, tobacco cessation interventions were documented prospectively for 12 weeks post-training.ResultsOver the 12-week study, technicians (n = 50) documented their involvement in 524 interventions (57.7% of 908 total), with the minimal group accounting for 56.1% and the intensive group accounting for 43.9% (p < 0.001). The number of individual technicians who reported at least one intervention was 16 (of 26; 61.5%) in the minimal group and 24 (of 24; 100%) in the intensive group (p < 0.001). At the conclusion of the study, 100% of technicians in the intensive group self-rated their ability to interact with patients about quitting smoking as good, very good, or excellent compared to 73.9% in the minimal group (p = 0.10).ConclusionIn both study arms, technicians documented high numbers of tobacco cessation interventions. The higher proportion of technicians providing one or more interventions in the intensive group suggests a greater overall engagement in the process, relative to those receiving minimal training. Technicians can play a key role in the delivery of tobacco cessation interventions in community pharmacies.     

Status of infectious disease content in the professional pharmacy curriculum in Saudi Arabia: Results of a national survey

ObjectivesAntimicrobial resistance is one of the main global problems faced by healthcare institutions. Healthcare professionals as service providers must have a basic understanding of this emerging threat; additionally, considering the evolving role of pharmacists in both the community and hospital setting, it is crucial that pharmacists are part of the fight against this threat. Therefore, this study aimed to assess infectious disease subjects covered in the pharmacy curriculum in Saudi Arabia, to evaluate teaching and knowledge assessment strategies concerning infectious diseases, and to explore challenges faced by faculty members in teaching infectious disease courses.MethodsWe constructed a questionnaire with 26 items and sent it to infectious disease faculty members at 26 Saudi Arabian pharmacy colleges. It included questions regarding the faculty and institution, infectious disease topics, hours dedicated to each topic, and tools and strategies used in the courses for better understanding and assessment of students. In addition, we enquired about the faculty members’ current satisfaction of, and future plans for, the curriculum.ResultsThe questionnaire was completed by infectious disease faculty members, department chairs, or college deans. Among the respondent schools, 85.5% were governmental and 14.5% were private institutions. The majority of colleges (98.2%) followed a semester format schedule, with 67.3% offering solely the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program. More than 78% of respondents covered all tier 1 infectious disease topics from the American College of Clinical Pharmacy Pharmacotherapy Didactic Curriculum Toolkit. The main tool used for teaching was lectures (94.5%), while patient case application was the main teaching strategy (54.5%). Approximately 63% of respondents thought that the curricula were adequate when they were asked about their opinion of the curricula coverage, and 63.64% thought that the curriculum provided adequate baseline knowledge on infectious diseases for the following 5 years.ConclusionsThe study revealed variations in infectious disease topics covered and the time dedicated to them among pharmacy colleges in Saudi Arabia. The faculty members who responded to our questionnaire were generally satisfied with their infectious disease curriculum. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to assess infectious disease curricula among Saudi pharmacy colleges. Thus, the findings of this study may encourage faculty members to advocate for the standardization of infectious disease courses offered at Saudi Arabian pharmacy colleges.     

Multi-institutional study of women and underrepresented minority faculty members in academic pharmacy

Objectives. To examine trends in the numbers of women and underrepresented minority (URM) pharmacy faculty members over the last 20 years, and determine factors influencing women faculty members’ pursuit and retention of an academic pharmacy career.Methods. Twenty-year trends in women and URM pharmacy faculty representation were examined. Women faculty members from 9 public colleges and schools of pharmacy were surveyed regarding demographics, job satisfaction, and their academic pharmacy career, and relationships between demographics and satisfaction were analyzed.Results. The number of women faculty members more than doubled between 1989 and 2009 (from 20.7% to 45.5%), while the number of URM pharmacy faculty members increased only slightly over the same time period. One hundred fifteen women faculty members completed the survey instrument and indicated they were generally satisfied with their jobs. The academic rank of professor, being a nonpharmacy practice faculty member, being tenured/tenure track, and having children were associated with significantly lower satisfaction with fringe benefits. Women faculty members who were tempted to leave academia for other pharmacy sectors had significantly lower salary satisfaction and overall job satisfaction, and were more likely to indicate their expectations of academia did not match their experiences (p<0.05).Conclusions. The significant increase in the number of women pharmacy faculty members over the last 20 years may be due to the increased number of female pharmacy graduates and to women faculty members’ satisfaction with their careers. Lessons learned through this multi-institutional study and review may be applicable to initiatives to improve recruitment and retention of URM pharmacy faculty members.     

Teaching medication adherence in US colleges and schools of pharmacy

Objective. To determine and describe the nature and extent of medication adherence education in US colleges and schools of pharmacy.Methods. A mixed-methods research study was conducted that included a national survey of pharmacy faculty members, a national survey of pharmacy students, and phone interviews of 3 faculty members and 6 preceptors.Results. The majority of faculty members and students agreed that background concepts in medication adherence are well covered in pharmacy curricula. Approximately 40% to 65% of the students sampled were not familiar with several adherence interventions. The 6 preceptors who were interviewed felt they were not well-informed on adherence interventions, unclear on what students knew about adherence, and challenged to provide adherence-related activities for students during practice experiences because of practice time constraints.Conclusions. Intermediate and advanced concepts in medication adherence, such as conducting interventions, are not adequately covered in pharmacy curriculums; therefore stakeholders in pharmacy education must develop national standards and tools to ensure consistent and adequate medication adherence education.     

The Role of Academic Pharmacy in Tobacco Cessation and Control

Despite decades of public health initiatives, tobacco use remains the leading known preventable cause of death in the United States. Clinicians have a proven, positive effect on patients’ ability to quit, and pharmacists are strategically positioned to assist patients with quitting. The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy recognizes health promotion and disease prevention as a key educational outcome; as such, tobacco cessation education should be a required component of pharmacy curricula to ensure that all pharmacy graduates possess the requisite evidence-based knowledge and skills to intervene with patients who use tobacco. Faculty members teaching tobacco cessation-related content must be knowledgeable and proficient in providing comprehensive cessation counseling, and all preceptors and practicing pharmacists providing direct patient care should screen for tobacco use and provide at least minimal counseling as a routine component of care. Pharmacy organizations should establish policies and resolutions addressing the profession’s role in tobacco cessation and control, and the profession should work together to eliminate tobacco sales in all practice settings where pharmacy services are rendered.     

Pharmacist-managed tobacco cessation program in Veterans Health Administration community-based outpatient clinic.

OBJECTIVE: To describe an ongoing pharmacist-managed tobacco cessation clinic and assess the long-term effectiveness of the program. SETTING: Veterans Health Administration (VHA) community-based outpatient clinic in Missoula, Montana. PARTICIPANTS: Pharmacy professor/clinical pharmacy specialist, advanced pharmacy practice experience students, and tobacco cessation participants. PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: Ongoing, pharmacist-managed tobacco cessation program offered to veterans. PRACTICE INNOVATION: With use of the "Vets without Cigarettes" program developed by the Montana VHA and the most current strategies reported in the literature, the clinical pharmacy specialist and pharmacy students provide tobacco cessation services for Missoula Veterans Affairs Primary Care Center veterans. Activities include a three-session program using the Transtheoretical Model of Change, tobacco cessation pharmacotherapy, behavioral strategies, cognitive techniques, documentation, and follow-up survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Percentage of veterans contacted reporting tobacco abstinence. RESULTS: Follow-up survey results were obtained for 130 (87.8%) of 148 veterans attending one or more sessions of the tobacco cessation class between November 1999 and December 2003. Of the 130 veterans contacted, 54 (41.5%) continued to be tobacco free. CONCLUSION: This program demonstrates that pharmacists are effective providers of tobacco cessation services. Furthermore, a comprehensive tobacco cessation program is provided that can serve as a model to guide pharmacists in assisting more patients to become tobacco free and live healthier lifestyles.     

Assessment of factors influencing community pharmacy residents' pursuit of academic positions

Objectives

To determine the percentage of residents accepting faculty positions following completion of a community pharmacy residency program (CPRP) and identify influences to pursue/not pursue an academic career.

Methods

CPRP directors and preceptors across the United States were contacted and 53 community pharmacy residents were identified. The residents were invited to participate in surveys at the beginning and end of the 2005-2006 residency year.

Results

Forty-five residents (85%) completed the preliminary survey instrument and 40 (75%) completed the follow-up survey instrument. Of these, 36 completed both survey instruments. Initially, 28 (62%) respondents indicated a faculty position as one of their potential job preferences. After completing their residency program, 3 (8%) residents accepted faculty positions; and 3 (8%) others were awaiting offers at follow-up. Reasons for accepting a faculty position were positive teaching experiences and the influence of a mentor or preceptor. Reasons for not pursuing a faculty position included lack of interest, geographic location, disliked teaching experiences, lack of preparedness, and non-competitive salary.

Conclusion

Many community pharmacy residents consider faculty positions early in their residency but few pursue faculty positions. CPRPs and colleges of pharmacy should work together to enhance residents'' experiences to foster interest in academia.     

Education,Training, and Academic Experience of Newly Hired,First-Time Pharmacy Faculty Members

Objective. To describe the education, training, and academic experiences of newly hired faculty members at US colleges and schools of pharmacy during the 2012-2013 academic year.Methods. A survey regarding education, training, and academic experiences was conducted of all first-time faculty members at US colleges and schools of pharmacy hired during the 2012-2013 academic year.Results. Pharmacy practice faculty members accounted for the majority (68.2%) of new hires. Ambulatory care was the most common pharmacy specialty position (29.8%). Most new faculty members had a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) as their terminal degree (74.8%), and 88.3% of pharmacy practice faculty members completed a residency. Of new faculty members who responded to the survey, 102 (67.5%) had at least 3 prior academic teaching, precepting, or research experiences.Conclusion. New faculty members were hired most frequently for clinical faculty positions at the assistant professor level and most frequently in the specialty of ambulatory care. Prior academic experience included precepting pharmacy students, facilitating small discussions, and guest lecturing.     

An Analysis of Community Pharmacy Shared Faculty Members’ Contributions to Teaching,Service, and Scholarship

Objective. To identify community pharmacy shared faculty members across the United States and to describe their roles and responsibilities in terms of teaching, service, and scholarship.Methods. This study was a mixed-methods analysis using surveys and key informant interviews.Results. Twenty-two faculty members completed the survey; nine were interviewed. Their major roles and responsibilities included teaching in community-based and experiential learning courses, precepting students and/or residents, being actively involved in professional organizations, providing patient care while leading innovation, and disseminating findings through scholarship.Conclusion. Community pharmacy shared faculty members contribute to their academic institutions and community pharmacy organizations by educating learners, providing direct patient care, and advancing community practice through innovation and service to the profession. Findings of this study can be used as a guide for academic institutions and community pharmacy organizations interested in partnering to develop a community pharmacy shared faculty position.     

Impact of a faculty orientation and development committee

This paper describes the faculty enrichment activities and outcomes of a faculty orientation and development committee at a college of pharmacy. The committee used a continuous quality improvement (CQI) framework that included needs assessment, planning and implementation of programs and workshops, assessment of activities, and evaluation of feedback to improve future programming. Some of the programs established by the committee include a 3-month orientation process for new hires and development workshops on a broad range of topics including scholarship (eg, research methods), teaching (eg, test-item writing), and general development (mentorship). Evidence of the committee's success is reflected by high levels of faculty attendance at workshops, positive feedback on workshop evaluations, and overall high levels of satisfaction with activities. The committee has served as a role model for improving faculty orientation and retention.     

Evaluating the feasibility of pharmacist-facilitated tobacco cessation interventions in independent community pharmacies in rural Appalachia

BackgroundSmoking rates in the United States are the highest in underserved rural regions. Thus, more points of contact are needed to link smokers to evidence-based cessation programs.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to conduct an evaluation to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and interest among rural pharmacists in implementing a pharmacist-facilitated smoking cessation program in independent community pharmacies in rural Appalachian communities in Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia.MethodsThis study utilized a complementary sequential mixed-methods approach to explore independent community pharmacists and technicians’ experiences and beliefs about implementing a tobacco cessation program in their pharmacy.ResultsThere were 49 pharmacists or technicians who completed the survey and 7 pharmacists who participated in the interviews. Four main findings emerged from the data: 1) pharmacies can help fill the gap in tobacco cessation services in rural communities, 2) under current practice, tobacco cessation resources when offered by independent community pharmacies are not always formalized, 3) there are known barriers, such as reimbursing for services, that need to be addressed to provide tobacco cessation in an independent pharmacy setting, and 4) the Ask-Advise-Connect model is a feasible tobacco cessation approach in a pharmacy.ConclusionAlthough pharmacists may be ideally situated to build capacity for smoking cessation in rural areas, smoking cessation interventions need to use existing approaches that compensate pharmacists for their time spent counseling patients. Furthermore, simple documentation and billing systems are needed to maximize utilization of tobacco cessation products and services provided in the pharmacy.